Sometimes in education, we affectionately (okay, not really) call January and February the long months. We’re trying to get everyone and everything back into a routine after the busy holiday months…and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is not making that any easier. We know that safe, in-person instruction provides the optimal learning environment, and I’d like to reiterate my appreciation for all of our educators who are making this in-person learning happen for our students.
As recently as a couple hours ago (writing this on Thursday late afternoon), I spoke with a superintendent who shared that their central office staff is subbing in classrooms and driving school buses (when licensed) to keep students in the classroom. This is one example, of many, that demonstrates the creative, extensive solutions our Indiana educators are leading in order to keep students in-person…it’s truly incredible, and I’m so grateful for you.
As we strive to do everything we can to provide a safe in-person learning environment, the main reason we go to such lengths is to ensure our students are prepared for what is ahead. When it comes to helping students continue to master the fundamentals, data shows that the roadmap of opportunity is endless for students who are literate by the end of third grade. As an educator, you know this…and have likely witnessed the impacts when a child can read, versus when a child really struggles with reading.
To illustrate this, here are some current literacy data points – highlighting the urgency to lean-in on literacy, particularly in light of the academic impact we know this pandemic has already had on many Indiana students. Please feel welcome to use this information as you discuss the importance of literacy in your local community.
- According to research from Yale University, students who are poor readers at the end of third grade are likely to remain poor readers throughout their life…they even are less likely to graduate on-time or may never receive their high school diploma.
- Of the approximately 81,000 third grade students who took the IREAD-3 assessment in spring 2021 (following the initial pandemic year), 81% passed.
- Student populations, including students receiving free or reduced lunch, racially and ethnically diverse populations, and English learners have consistently performed at least 10 percentage points behind their peers on IREAD-3.
- English learners, students with disabilities, and students who have already been retained twice are eligible for a Good Cause Exemption (GCE) from passing IREAD-3. However, once an exemption is provided, subsequent and longitudinal student-level data (e.g., formative and summative) illustrates the continued necessity we have in providing students with continuous, targeted reading support until literacy is achieved so as not to impact a student’s lifelong ability to become fluent readers.
The data above is just the tip of the iceberg. As we think about the importance of keeping students learning in-person, let’s keep our eye on the foundational knowledge and skills that students must gain while they are in our K-12 schools. We must expand our focus on literacy – both locally and as a state – to ensure all students are able to read by third grade and have mastered the foundational literacy skills they need for lifelong success.
After hearing from you and analyzing statewide data, we are launching some specific literacy initiatives designed to support schools and educators. This includes an initiative, developed specifically with our state’s most at-risk students in mind, to create a collaborative and sustainable model of preparing, educating, supporting, and ultimately empowering Indiana educators on the Science of Reading framework and the importance of early literacy.
Noting the impacts of the pandemic and hearing from you, the academics team is working on additional solution ideas to support you…more to come in terms of implementation and how you can be a part of it!
Thank you as always for your commitment to positively impacting lives, one student at a time.
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REMINDER: Fall 2021 ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) Preliminary Results Available and Rescore Request Window Opens on Monday, January 24
Preliminary results for students who participated in the Fall 2021 ILEARN Biology ECA will become available for schools to download in the Online Reporting System (ORS) on Monday, January 24. Please plan now for secure, timely communication of these results with all parents of students who tested during this window. The Fall 2021 ILEARN Biology rescore request window will occur from Monday, January 24, to Friday, February 4. Review the Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE’s) formal guidance as you complete the rescore process. Final results will be available in ORS on Tuesday, March 8, after any rescore requests are processed and data quality control checks are completed. Please contact the Indiana Assessment Help Desk with any questions regarding ORS and IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment regarding the rescore request process.
REMINDER: 2022-2023 Indiana Assessment Windows Now Available
The 2022-2023 Indiana Assessment Windows are posted on the IDOE Assessment webpage. Administrators should review and account for these dates when coordinating next year’s schedule. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with questions.
NEW: IDOE Releases K-12 Enrollment and Public Corporation Transfer Report
This week, IDOE released data on K-12 enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year, as well as data on public corporation transfers during the 2021 spring and fall semesters. Statewide, enrollment in Indiana’s public and accredited non-public schools has grown to 1.12 million students. Enrollment growth in Indiana’s schools is significantly driven this school year by a 5.25% increase in kindergarten enrollment compared with the 2020-2021 school year. Enrollment and transfer data at the district and school level are posted here. Contact datarequests@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Verifying Virtual Status for Period 1 Membership
This memo outlines the process for possible adjustments to Average Daily Membership (ADM) funding for the 2021-2022 school year in anticipation of potential action by the Indiana General Assembly, wherein IDOE may be directed to adjust the virtual status of students reported in Period 1 on Membership Counts for 2021-2022 school year. In order to ensure the virtual status of students appropriately reflects the complete ratio of virtual attendance to all attendance for students certified for ADM in September 2021, IDOE will use all of the available attendance data for the 2021-2022 school year through December 31, 2021 to revise the calculation of virtual attendance ratio. These new calculations are available in Data Exchange as of Wednesday, January 12 (see the Certification Tab). All attendance changes for the first semester will be considered final at midnight on Tuesday, January 18. Questions about how potential funding changes will be handled can be directed to schoolfinance@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: E-Rate Match for Fiber Construction Now Available
IDOE is participating in the E-Rate Match Program for special construction projects. This is available to any Indiana public school for fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023). This program will increase an applicant's discount rate for special construction charges for high-speed broadband that meets the FCC's long-term connectivity targets up to an additional 10 percent to match the state funding on a one-to-one dollar basis. Full application details are available here. Contact Brad Hagg with any questions.
REMINDER: February Membership Count Date
Please read this memo regarding the Tuesday, February 1, membership count date. If you have questions, please email us at schoolfinance@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: Summer School Estimates
The window to submit the Estimated Cost Report for Summer School 2022 will open on Wednesday, February 2. Please read this memo and FAQ for information regarding eligible courses, important dates, and financial provisions. Detailed information about the summer school program and how to report is included in Summer School 101. If you have questions, please contact Teresa Hemmerle or Joe Engelstad.
REMINDER: Financial Transparency Portal
Remember to submit financial transparency data for the period of July to December 2021 through the financial transparency portal. The portal may be accessed from the Form 9 dashboard. Please visit Moodle Finance for additional guidance. If you have questions regarding Form 9, please email form9@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: July to December 2021 Form 9 Financial Data
The window to submit Form 9 financial data for the period of July to December 2021 is open through Monday, January 31. Please visit Moodle Finance for additional guidance. If you have questions regarding Form 9, please email form9@doe.in.gov.
UPDATE: Data Analysis Office Hours
Please join IDOE Office of Special Education from 11 a.m. to noon ET on Tuesday, January 25, or 4 to 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 27, to discuss data as it relates to Results Driven Accountability (RDA). Please RSVP via your district’s assigned special education director to confirm your attendance. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
REMINDER: RDA Data Retreat Recording Now Available
During the week of November 29, 2021, IDOE’s Office of Special Education conducted a series of data retreats virtually and across the state. The two virtual retreats are combined into one recording for those who may have missed it and can be viewed here. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with questions regarding RDA.
NEW: Grade Six Civics Standards Open for Public Comment
IDOE welcomes public feedback on the proposed grade six civics standards from today through Friday, February 11. In accordance with Indiana Code 20-19-2-14.7, IDOE worked in conjunction with an educator and parent committee to develop a semester-long civics course for middle school students, which will be introduced during the 2023-2024 school year. The course is proposed to occur during the second semester of students’ grade six year, building upon citizenship standards learned by Indiana students in earlier grades. You can access the standards and provide feedback here. Contact the Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: January Professional Development (PD) - New Year, New You: Tech Tips for 2022
Join IDOE’s Digital Learning Team at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 26, for their session New Year, New You: Tech Tips for 2022. Information on this session and more can be found here. To register for upcoming workshops, create a free Learning Lab account by visiting the LINK Portal or the Learning Lab website directly and using your school email to log in. You may also suggest a topic for future PD with IDOE sessions by completing this form. Please contact the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
UPDATE: STEM Acceleration Grant (Cohort 6) Application
The STEM Acceleration Grant Overview and Application memo has been updated to reflect that districts may apply on behalf of schools within the district that meet eligibility criteria. Applications for the STEM Acceleration Grant will close on Friday, February 18. Please contact the Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Applications Open for Governor’s 2022 STEM Team
Gov. Eric. J. Holcomb, Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner, and Treasurer of State Kelly Mitchell invite Indiana high school students to apply for the 2022 Governor’s STEM Team. This program honors four outstanding high school students for their exceptional efforts and accomplishments in one of the STEM disciplines. Winning students each receive a $1,000 deposit into an Indiana CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings plan and letterman jackets identifying them as members of the Governor’s STEM Team. Applications may be submitted via this JotForm through Friday, February 4. Please contact the Office of Teaching and Learning with questions.
REMINDER: Virtual Voyagers: Microlearning in Support of Virtual and Hybrid Programs
Join IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning and guest speakers as they host a variety of 45-minute sessions in January and February on topics relevant to virtual and hybrid programs. See this flyer for more information and to register. Please contact the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Digital Learning Day on Tuesday, February 22
Join IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning for a panel discussion regarding the current digital learning landscape and what educators can do to continue moving student learning forward. Panelists will include:
- Melanie Hackett - Assistant Principal, Navarre Middle School
- Nadine Gilkison - District Technology Integration Supervisor K-12, Franklin Township Schools
- Steven Dull - Math Teacher, Morton High School
- Tiffany Reyes - Former First Grade Teacher, Theodore Potter Spanish Immersion Academy
The panel will take place at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 22. To attend, register here. Contact the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: January Professional Development (PD) Playbook
IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning will be releasing a monthly PD Playbook through the Indiana Learning Lab, with the first focusing on blended learning. The PD Playbook - Blended Learning provides articles and videos to support professional development and growth. These resources can be used in staff sessions, as a resource to teachers interested in this topic, or to further individual learning. Be sure to check back in February to explore our next PD Playbook on high-quality feedback! Please contact the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: Contact Tracing and Reporting
The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) is seeking to reduce the contact tracing and reporting burden for schools with mask requirements in place. Schools should continue to notify parents of a positive case in the classroom and reinforce mitigation strategies at school and home. To assist with this, a sample letter for parents can be found here. Emphasize to families the need to monitor for symptoms and keep students home who become symptomatic. Effective Friday, January 21, schools with mask requirements in place that have positive cases will only need to report the following to the IDOH K-12 portal:
- Positive Case First and Last Name
- Date of Birth
- Sex
- Category (student, staff, teacher)
- Date reported to school
- Race
- Ethnicity
Schools that do not have a mask requirement in place must continue to report both positive cases and close contacts, as well as all associated fields, to the IDOH K-12 portal. For questions, please contact backtoschool@isdh.in.gov.
NEW FROM THE U.S. FEDERAL COURTS: Spring 2022 Student Field Trips & June 2022 Teacher Institute
A Spring 2022 Educator Update from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is now available here. Highlights include:
- Field trips - the U.S. District Court in Indianapolis will once again offer its popular student field trips during spring 2022. Both virtual and in-person options will be available. Field trips are open to all ages, and a full menu of opportunities is available here.
- Teacher Institute - The 2022 Federal Court Teacher Institute will take place on Wednesday, June 15, and Thursday, June 16, in Indianapolis. This two-day immersive program will give teachers an exclusive look at the workings of the federal court system. Registration is now open and can be completed here.
Questions on any of these opportunities can be sent to outreach coordinator Mary Giorgio at mary_giorgio@insd.uscourts.gov.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA HEAD START STATE COLLABORATION OFFICE: Feedback Requested from K-12 Head Start Collaborators
The Indiana Head Start State Collaboration Office distributes an annual needs assessment, as federally required. Anyone in K-12 education who works with Head Start is encouraged to complete the survey in order to help the office better understand successes and challenges with collaboration and transition. Complete the 10-minute survey here by Friday, February 11 to promote collaboration that supports Hoosier families and children. Please contact Tonia Carriger with questions.
NEW FROM THE NATIONAL COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION: Computer Science Professional Development Week 2022
The National Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), CSTA Indiana, Nextech, and IDOE are partnering to host Indiana’s first ever CSPDWeek. Indiana K-12 teachers are invited to convene from Monday, June 27, to Friday, July 1, to learn, network, create community, and continue to expand high-quality, rigorous computer science education. The application and workshop catalogue are now available, and applications can be completed here. Please contact in.cspdweek@gmail.com with questions.
REMINDER FROM SCHOOLHOUSE.WORLD: Free Tutoring Now Includes 1:1 Math Support
Schoolhouse.world recently expanded its free, online tutoring to include 1:1 math homework support for middle and high school students. This peer tutoring is available through Zoom in 20-minute sessions from 8 to 10 p.m. ET on weekdays. This is in addition to free, small-group tutoring currently available in SAT reading, writing, and math, with a math focus on pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, and statistics. Support is also available for AP courses including AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics, and AP Computer Science. More information on free tutoring services through Schoolhouse.world is available here.
REMINDER: PATINS Project: Tech Expo 2022 with IN*SOURCE on Thursday, April 14
The PATINS Project is collaborating with IN*SOURCE for the PATINS Tech Expo 2022 with IN*SOURCE on Thursday, April 14. Participants will have the opportunity to review assistive and accessible technologies and services, meet with vendors and experts of resources designed to promote inclusion and comply with federal and state mandates, and learn about accessibility and technology support for all students and families. The expo is open to all interested Indiana administrators, teachers, family members, students, and pre-service/grad students. Register at no-cost by Wednesday, April 6. Please contact Jen Conti, events manager for the PATINS Project, with any questions.
All Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) newsletters are located in one convenient location. Please find past issues here.
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